Laying ghosts to rest and keeping City anger at bay
NO LUCK AND TOO MANY INJURIES ARE BITING AT MISFIRING TIGERS
For the third League One game in a row, misfiring Hull City failed to find the net, and to make matters worse, they conceded an 80th minute penalty to succumb to a 1-0 defeat at home to MK Dons to loosen their flailing grip on the automatic promotion places.
Having been the league’s most prolific scorers following the 4-0 win at Portsmouth late last month, City have suddenly become impotent in front of goal, missing the chance to take advantage of defeats and postponements around them in the table.
When luck is not on your side
Accrington manager John Coleman spoke in the build-up to their 2-0 win over City at the end of last month about the Tigers having the rub of the green.
He was speaking about the two own goals Portsmouth scored in the 4-0 win a few days’ before, and yes, to an extent he’d be right.
It feels as if Mccann is paying the price for that bit of luck at Fratton Park because since then, if there’s been any luck doing the rounds, it certainly hasn’t gone City’s way, and it didn’t here.
Whether it be luck in front of goal or on the treatment table, luck going their way has been scarce in the period since.
When the Tigers needed a bit of luck to aid their cause it was found wanting. Could there have been a penalty shout or two go their way against MK Dons? Yes, possibly.
The one decision of the afternoon went against them and that’s indicative of the time City are having right now, and in particular, their beleaguered manager.
This was not a bad performance by any stretch.
Accrington away, Burton away - yes, absolutely woeful, but this wasn’t and on another day, a day let’s say in September or October, this is most likely a healthy victory.
Keane Lewis-potter doesn’t get his feet in a tangle early on, he takes one touch before finding the bottom corner, or Mallik Wilks volleys into the roof of the net instead the roof of the West Stand and at the end Josh Magennis heads inside the post rather than outside it - that’s the way of it right now.
City’s players need to take responsibility, to stand up and be counted because ultimately, it’s them and only them that can halt this run of form.
Keep creating the chances, keep getting into the positions and things will turn, of that I have no doubt.
Form at the moment is a concern, but it has to be said, they’re not playing badly Accrington and Burton away excepted - so you have to believe that things will turn.
The injury list is biting
Earlier in the season, City’s medical staff were kicking their heels with few serious concerns to occupy them. That’s most certainly changed in the last few weeks as player after player has trooped into the treatment room, and key players at that.
Richie Smallwood’s absence impacts the defensive shape of the side when he anchors the midfield and allows George Honeyman and Greg Docherty to flourish - Docherty by the way delivered another terrific display.
Gavin Whyte’s absence is arguably the biggest loss to the way City operate, certainly in the front third of the pitch.
His movement, his pace and threat has been lacking since his injury and the sooner Mccann can get him back the better because with the Ulsterman in the team, there would be a much greater threat and possibly that clinical edge he possesses would rub off on the other attacking players looking so bereft of confidence.
Having Alfie Jones back on Wednesday will be important and while many will criticise Tom Eaves, his return can’t come soon enough to provide some extra competition up front.
When Mccann turned to his bench against MK, there was a distinct lack of options on there to give his side impetus which has not been the case for much of the season.
James Scott is woefully out of form and while Josh Emmanuel should have started, bringing him on to change the game would be a stretch.
Calm heads needed
Let’s be right, poll the majority of City fans on social media and they’d want a change in manager, in fact, they wanted the change in manager a long time ago.
Mccann is not going to be axed by the Tigers at this juncture, of that, you can be almost assured.
City remain second - and I’m aware we keep flogging that fact - and largely it remains in their hands as to whether or not they go on and secure promotion.
This is a rough spell, it is. Games are incessant, there’s little time to recover, injuries are playing a part and it’s non-stop - dips in form are heightened because of the schedule.
City have shown already this season that there is a determination within the dressing room to respond well to setbacks and you have to believe that will be the case again.
Dispensing with a manager at this stage would be the wrong move and the perception that there’s an incredible uplift when a manager goes is a fallacy, it just isn’t true, so there would be no certainty that anything positive would come of it on the pitch for now.
It’s also hard not to feel an element of sympathy for Mccann.
A manager relies on his players taking their chances, and let’s be right, some of the chances his players have missed this season does genuinely leave you shocked, he needs them to start converting and quickly.
He’s already on a sticky wicket and as it stands, his lone stand is becoming more lonely as time progresses.
Laying ghosts to rest
If ever there was a game where the word redemption was applicable, this would be it at Wigan. Given what happened at the DW Stadium last season - and we don’t need to dwell on it - Wednesday really needs to be a positive performance and result.
City are second but the online community has already turned on the manager, and anything but three points given the context of the fixture and it’ll only get a whole lot worse.
On the flip side, February’s form has been so disappointing that three points on Wednesday night would be a huge line in the sand and perfect preparation for Saturday’s trip to Doncaster which after each passing week seems to take on greater meaning.
Be kind
Social media can be a bleak environment at the best of times, and for those who hold a public profile it’s sometimes wise to avoid it completely. Quite why footballers and managers stick their neck out and have profiles is beyond me. It is, however, their right to do as they please and interact with supporters, friends, family and colleagues so they should be afforded the very basic right to respect and common decency. The role of social media has long been a heated debate, especially given the growing influence it’s having on our society. A quick scan of Twitter in the aftermath of Saturday’s defeat and the problems are there for all to see and it’s not just those with anonymous accounts. Fans have often felt it is their right to go to a match and hurl abuse at a player, manager, official or indeed, another supporter - again, an accepted part of the game which has never been logical. “I pay £25 to go and I can do what I want,” is often the rhetoric. No, no amount of money gives you the right to be abusive. Given the absence of supporters in stadiums over the past 12 months, it feels like more and more have taken their anger online to direct at players and managers. Of course, supporters have their right to criticise as they see fit, but some of the vitriolic abuse directed at Mccann is staggering, moreover, it is hugely worrying. You’d think he has purposely set out to damage the club, to inflict pain upon supporters and their families, it’s absolutely bonkers and it’s disturbing. Society is supposed to have progressed in the last year, it’s supposed to become less aggressive and more tolerant, more understanding of people and their feelings. Yes, we all want City to win every week playing champagne football scoring plenty of goals. Unfortunately, this is elite sport. It’s unscripted, it’s tough and everybody wants to win. The manager doesn’t want Mallik Wilks to smash over the bar from eight yards, nor does he want Jacob Greaves to make a mess of a header a yard or two out when it looks easier to score. That’s football, it’s what happens but it does not necessitate the reams of abuse that follows. You can disagree with Mccann’s signings, critique his tactics, the way he manages the club you support - that’s fine, nobody is trying to take your opinion away from you, healthy, hearty debate is what makes this game so special, but there is absolutely no need to send personal insults to somebody for doing the job to the best of their ability. To bring religion, race or anything of that ilk into a discussion and/or argument is just the lowest of the low, we don’t need it and as a society, we have to be better. Too many are crossing the line and it’s really not acceptable, it’s gone way too far - it has to stop.